A groundbreaking open-source project called Darkwire has emerged, allowing users to send Bitcoin transactions via LoRa radio in regions lacking internet connectivity, power, or cellular networks. This innovative system is designed to facilitate node-to-node transactions until they reach an internet-connected exit point, which then broadcasts them to the Bitcoin network.
Darkwire is the brainchild of pseudonymous developer ‘cyber,’ who is pursuing a degree in artificial intelligence and machine learning. The project was submitted to the Bitcoin 2025 Official Hackathon and is currently under development.
How Darkwire Works
The framework utilizes Long Range Radio (LoRa) to create a decentralized mesh network, enabling devices to transmit small data packets, such as text messages or Bitcoin transactions, over several kilometers without traditional internet connections or cellular networks. To complete the transaction, at least one node in the network must be connected to the internet, allowing the transaction to be pushed to the blockchain for verification by miners.
Key Components
- Long-range radio transceivers: Enable wireless communication between nodes.
- Microcontrollers: Such as Arduino UNO, form a mesh network by connecting multiple nodes.
When a user initiates a Bitcoin transaction using the Darkwire graphical user interface (GUI), they specify the recipient’s address and amount using a local wallet managed by bitcoinlib, a Python library. The GUI generates a signed raw Bitcoin transaction in hexadecimal format, which is then sent to a Darkwire node (a combined microcontroller and LoRa device) via a serial connection like USB.
The Darkwire node fragments the transaction data into smaller packets if necessary and transmits it wirelessly using LoRa. In ideal conditions with a direct line of sight, each Darkwire node has a range of 10km, although this range is reduced to 3-5km in more densely populated environments.
Features and Future Developments
While Darkwire is still in its early stages and has limitations such as low bandwidth and sensitivity to terrain obstacles, its developer aims to refine it into a mature open-source platform. Planned features include UTXO retrieval for messages, encryption for messages, and uploading to Nostr, an open-source protocol for transmitting messages.
As the world becomes increasingly authoritarian, Darkwire may become a vital tool for Bitcoin users in restrictive environments, enabling them to send transactions to validators elsewhere in the world. The project’s success will depend on community contributions and the growth of Darkwire networks, which should mitigate its current limitations over time.
